Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Suginami-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Suginami-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,684 per month in Tokyo vs $1,196 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Tokyo vs $1,894 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Tokyo vs $2,592 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 41% more than Suginami-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 26% above the global median, while Suginami-ku is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,294

$7.00 ¥1,120

15.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 ¥7,727

$34.21 ¥5,473

41.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 ¥910

$5.06 ¥810

12.45%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥571

$3.16 ¥506

12.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 ¥202

$1.14 ¥182

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥148

$0.74 ¥119

25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 ¥681

$2.04 ¥326

108.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 ¥848

$2.09 ¥335

153.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥252

$1.51 ¥242

4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.76 ¥281

-9.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 ¥851

$4.84 ¥774

9.92%

Eggs

$2.41 ¥385

$1.52 ¥243

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ¥2,565

$10.18 ¥1,628

57.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ¥1,255

$6.27 ¥1,004

25.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.16 ¥3,704

$15.64 ¥2,502

48.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 ¥836

$5.95 ¥952

-12.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥412

$3.08 ¥493

-16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 ¥917

$4.10 ¥655

39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.97 ¥955

$4.64 ¥742

28.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ¥514

$3.33 ¥533

-3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ¥562

$3.57 ¥570

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥236

$1.34 ¥215

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥143

$0.87 ¥139

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥684

$4.25 ¥680

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 ¥1,501

$9.29 ¥1,486

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥343

$1.84 ¥294

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ¥461

$2.06 ¥330

39.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥237

$1.59 ¥254

-6.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 ¥13.6K

$55.1 ¥8,808

54.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$3.57 ¥570

-2.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥458

$3.02 ¥484

-4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.77 ¥4,281

$21.93 ¥3,507

22.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥195

$1.17 ¥188

4.27%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$22.9K ¥3.7M

2.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.4K ¥2.8M

$18.3K ¥2.9M

-4.64%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$164 ¥26.2K

$82.5 ¥13.2K

98.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.63 ¥4,259

$27.76 ¥4,440

-4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.94 ¥5,428

$33.70 ¥5,391

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ¥11.0K

$56.2 ¥8,994

22.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 ¥3,217

$14.00 ¥2,240

43.64%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 ¥2,088

$11.32 ¥1,811

15.37%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$506 ¥81.0K

$287 ¥45.9K

76.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.5M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

11.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 ¥9,611

$20.99 ¥3,357

186.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 ¥6,448

$29.03 ¥4,643

38.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥10.3K

$60.9 ¥9,737

6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ¥14.6K

$98.4 ¥15.7K

-7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ¥175.0K

$463 ¥74.1K

136.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$323 ¥51.7K

84.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 ¥417.4K

$879 ¥140.6K

196.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 ¥214.2K

$660 ¥105.5K

102.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ¥1.7M

$4,161 ¥665.5K

159.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ¥795.6K

$2,507 ¥401.0K

98.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 ¥400.1K

$2,769 ¥442.9K

-9.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

-14.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tokyo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Suginami-ku: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,094 in Tokyo versus $463 in Suginami-ku. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Suginami-ku, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Tokyo versus $34.00 in Suginami-ku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $320 – making Suginami-ku the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tokyo vs Suginami-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 41% more than Suginami-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,526 per month in Tokyo and $1,794 in Suginami-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suginami-ku, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Suginami-ku. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $506 per month in Tokyo and $287 in Suginami-ku. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,196, than in Tokyo at $1,684. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suginami-ku costs $1,196 versus $1,684 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Suginami-ku. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.